EGYPTEgypt's market for medical equipment and supplies is one of the larger of those in the Middle East, but per capita consumption is very low by regional and world standards. In 2012, the Egyptian market for medical equipment and supplies is estimated at US$432.3 million, or US$4.9 per capita. The 2012-17 CAGR is projected at 10.3%. Egypt produces very little medical equipment, so the vast majority of the market is supplied by imports.

IRANThe Iranian medical device market appears to have no coherent regulatory framework, and Iranian buyers are very thorough in evaluating products for purchase. It is therefore advised that overseas firms appoint a local agent with knowledge of relevant procedures. Imports account for an estimated 88.1% of the market, despite the manufacture of basic consumable items such as syringes, needles & catheters, dental instruments & fittings and orthopaedic appliances. Imports were valued at US$785.3 million in 2011, with Germany and the Netherlands being the leading suppliers. Consumable medical devices and diagnostic imaging apparatus were the most significant import sectors.

ISRAELIsrael has the largest medical device market in the Middle East region. Much of the market, at just under 80%, is supplied by imports, and a significant portion of these in value terms are dominated by "high-end" products falling under the diagnostic imaging apparatus category. It also has important domestic manufacturing capabilities, with just under 300 medical device companies in Israel – according to Ministry of Health estimates

JORDANBoth the government and private sector are committed to upgrading and modernising Jordan's healthcare provision. The country has a reputation in the region for its high standards of services provided. New public and private hospitals have been expanding and upgrading in recent years, providing good opportunities for companies in the provision of medical equipment.

MOROCCOIn 2012, the medical market was estimated at US$204.4 million. However, per capita medical device spending at around US$6 remains low, leaving considerable potential for further expansion. The local medical device manufacturing industry remains at an embryonic stage, leaving most sectors of the market reliant on foreign imports, which totalled US$201 million in the 12 months to July 2011.

OMANEspicom estimates the Omani market for medical devices to stand at US$97.1 million in 2012, equal to US$33.5 per capita. The market as a whole is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 11.3% per annum to reach US$165.8 million by 2017. Collated monthly trade data show that medical device imports rose to US$72.1 million in the 12 months to August 2012, representing year-on-year growth of 6.1%. The performance of the individual categories was mixed, with diagnostic imaging (20.1%), orthopaedics (19.8%) and consumables (4.7%) making gains during the latest 12 month period, whilst the value of imports stagnated or fell in other categories.

SAUDI ARABIAThe Ministry of Health (MoH) has allocated over SR7 billion (US$2 billion) for 67 health projects throughout the country as part of its fiscal 2012 budget. The MoH said the projects include the establishment of 12 new hospitals with a combined bed capacity of 3,100 beds, as well as a number of comprehensive medical clinics, oncology centres and specialised dental centres. New healthcare facilities, coupled with the government's plan to recruit more healthcare personnel from overseas to work in these new centres, will inevitably see a spike in procurement of medical equipment and supplies, and other capital goods.

SOUTH AFRICAThe long term growth prospects of the South African medical device market will be strongly influenced by the ANC government's policies in regards to the new National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, the promotion of public-private partnerships to develop and upgrade hospitals, the serious shortage of healthcare personnel and an urgent need to effectively address the AIDS crisis in the country. The government has committed itself to increasing the level of healthcare spending and has launched a 14-year programme to implement universal healthcare coverage.

TURKEYThe government has placed an emphasis on developing its healthcare system, with the goal of establishing a Universal Healthcare System by 2013 as part of its ongoing reforms for the healthcare sector. Around 85% of the medical device market is supplied by imports, which have risen rapidly in the past decade. In 2011, imports rose by 17.6% over 2010 and by a 2007-2011 CAGR of 6.0%. Half of imports were sourced from the USA, Germany and China. In the 12 months to October 2012, imports decreased by 6.5% to US$1,888.0 million. In this period, dental products showed some growth but almost all other categories fell in value.

UAEThe UAE's economy is heavily dependent on the price of oil. Per capita GDP is very high, ranked among the top 20 in the world, and in 2012 was estimated at US$46,638. Real GDP growth of 3.7% is expected for 2013. As a percentage of GDP, healthcare expenditure is low, but in per capita terms, spending is among the top 30 in the world. Overall health expenditure was estimated at US$12.3 billion in 2011, equal to 3.8% of GDP. Per capita spending was US$1,551.

These Quarterly Updated Reports Analyse the Issues

The Outlook for Medical Device Markets in the Middle East & Africa is published by Espicom Business Intelligence. Each report provides an individual and highly-detailed analysis of each market, looking at the key regulatory, political, economic and corporate developments in the wider context of market structure, service and access. The reports are available individually or as a discounted collection, and the price includes 4 completely updated reports sent quarterly and details of local medical equipment distributors